Shattered Dreams
by Omniwriter1234
Summary: "Enlisting" the aid of Shirou Emiya almost two decades since they had been partners in the Holy Grail War, Rin Tohsaka finds she needs the man who hates her to save her. The only questions now is if he will? Can a broken man truly save someone? Can he be a hero again or will he simply fail again?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own or claim to own any recognizable or licensed material appearing in this work of fiction in any way, shape, and/or form with it all belonging to their respective owners. I am not attempting to or making a profit from this work of fiction in any way, shape, and/or form. All recognizable and/or licensed material appearing in this work of fiction belongs to their owner/s in every way, shape, and/or form under the rules and laws they fall under.

AN: So this is a Fate/stay night story I felt like making. Enjoy.

* * *

"So, who are you?" the man in front of her, standing out in London with his tanned skin, grey eyes, and, more importantly, shocking white spiky hair, was interesting. He was undoubtedly a Magus but she had no idea what family he could possibly be from. She had met no one that looked even remotely like him and no Magus showed the same traits he had, undoubtedly caused by his Magecraft and, most likely, by a reckless use of it.

"I'm best known as Shirou, I take it you're the Enforcer she sent this time?" the now named Shirou kept drinking, a minor use of Reinforcement on the mug of beer he had ordered by the woman in front of him done in an attempt in making him a bit more open than what she observed to be his normal, she had used it before and it had worked most of the time she had done so, something she hoped would repeat this time as well. "So, what's your name?"

"Bazett, I won't be telling you much more." the red head was never that talkative, a trait she had almost her entire life, and wouldn't be changing that for her target, the man most likely trying his hardest to drink away a pain from what she had observed so far in the time she had been watching him, waiting for the order to make her move.

"I wouldn't expect any less Ms. McRemitz." Shirou's next drink drained his much needed alcohol to just a few drops left, something he saw and lazily rose his hand, the somewhat old bartender already handing him another glass, Shirou draining it before setting the glass down.

"How do you know my name?" Bazett had thought it a good idea to let Shirou drink, it usually helped her get what she wanted and what she needed now was something very important.

"You carry a five inch long carbon steel knife reinforced by three runes carved on a leather grip up your left sleeve and an identical weapon, through not used as much, up your right sleeve. That knife," Shirou held one of the knives he had just described in his hands before flinging it into the bar and pointing at Bazett, "was all I needed to learn all about you." Shirou waved over the bartender yet again and this time the old man was holding a bottle when he came over, handing it over to the Magus. He took one look at it before taking a moment to open it and then take a long drink of.

Once he had drained a third of the bottle, Shirou almost lazily seemed to turn his clear steel grey eyes to meet Bazett's own.

"So, Bazett Fraga McRemitz," Shirou took another drink from his bottle, setting it down with a thud on the bar in front of him, a clear look of annoyance on his face as he locked eyes with the Enforcer. ", what the hell does _she_ want?"

"You." Bazett wasted no more time, clearly letting him get drunk was failing so she took the second best approach.

Her attack on him instantly failed, the needle she had planned to use the contents of to knock him out failing as he grabbed it out of her hand and crushed it before the table was suddenly thrown at her. She didn't bother dodging, instead she threw her herself forward onto it onto her hands and swung her legs up and around the table, attempting to knock him out with a swift rune enhanced kick to the either the side or top of his head before she found it blocked by a black cane, her leg rebounding off of it before the silver handle resting at the end of it was at her throat, a heatless flame engulfing the cane entirely before it had transformed. Now, instead of the black cane, Shirou kept a single hand on the dark silver blade now in his hands, a pitch black hilt gripped loosely by tanned fingers.

"It's not happening anytime soon, tell her that." Shirou stepped back, leaving the bar somewhat hurried and almost ran right into the person he hated the most in the world.

"Hello Shirou." Rin Tohsaka smiled at him, standing outside the bar she knew he frequented when in London and dressed as always in her white blouse, black skirt, black stockings, and brown high heeled boots, a red overcoat over on top of it all along with a pair of black gloves. Her hair, unusually, was pulled back into a basic ponytail, not the usual elaborate style or the pigtails she usually tried to keep them in, a style she was especially fond of from her youth. "I've been looking for you for quite some time."

"And what would that be for?" Shirou leaned forward on his black and silver cane, it back to normal after briefly being a blade. "A better question through," Shirou's eyes narrowed, his grip on his cane tightening. ", is why shouldn't I kill you now?"

"Because," Rin's smile widened as two of the Tohsaka's guards stepped up to either side of Shirou, grabbing his arms and one slipping a crystal bracelet onto his wrist. The Magus paid little attention to it, hardly glancing at the new accessory on his wrist while the two guards quickly found themselves collapsed on the ground, the cane he held very durable, not showing any signs of just beating two rather large men into the ground in several vicious blows.

"You havARGH!" Shirou dropped to his knees, a wave of white hot agony ripping through him as the bracelet tightened around his wrist.

", as I was saying, I," Rin laid one hand across her chest as she walked forward. "own you, Shirou Emiya." Rin stopped in front of Shirou, moving a hand through his almost snow white hair, a smirk growing on her face as she knelt down to Shirou's level. "Just like it should have been."

"Of course you think you should." Shirou panted for breath, his body still shaking as he made liberal use of his cane, struggling to his feet as Rin stepped away.

"It's my right really." Rin continued to smirk at the Magus, clearly pleased with herself and what she had just accomplished. "Just like what you stole from me."

"It was never your right." Shirou's struggles proved pointless, he collapsed as a gem on the bracelet flashed with a red light. "It was never anyone's right."

"Like someone like you would know! Someone like you who doesn't even understand what it means to be a Magus! Someone like you who has no drive! No desire! NO PASSION!" Rin snatched Shirou's cane out of his hands during her almost rant towards him.

"To be a Magus is to walk with death and to be a blade is to be the dealer of death, of suffering. I understand what I am very well Tohsaka." Shirou somehow kept his shaking body upright even without his cane, something Rin clearly didn't like as she waved a hand at him, a blood red gem on a bracelet she wore flashing briefly before he crumbled to the ground.

"To be a Magus is to seek Akasha, something you stole my chance of finding that day." Rin chose to ignore Shirou after her words, choosing to instead begin examining the end of the cane as she seemed to notice something.

"I recognize this craftsmanship, something only _she_ could make, especially if you can use it so well." Rin spared a moment to sneer at Shirou with her last words before she began twisting the end of the cane, pulling the silver grip free and revealing a single gem embedded in the wood, running down the entire length of the cane and the Tohsaka frowned before tossing the cane to one of her guards. "So, you've been talking with my useless sister Emiya? How pathetic of you."

"I think I see the useless one right here." Shirou had managed to bring himself off the ground, one hand keeping him up as he made the effort to look at his former friend, his gray eyes locking with black.

"Of course, always fighting until the end." Rin rolled her eyes as she took off one of her gloves, revealing the thorn like black markings spreading across her left hand, a parting gift from something a long time ago, something both wished they could forget.

_"Rin, get out of there! This whole place is coming down!"_

_"Just leave. I'll catch up with you."_

_"I'm no lea...WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING IN THERE!"_

_"Just stay back Emiya! I know what I'm doing!"_

_"What the hell do you think you're doing then!"_

_"Getting the truth!"_

_"At the cost of your life? WHY DOES THAT MAKE SENSE TO YOU!"_

_"You wouldn't understand! I NEED to do this!"_

_"Then let me help you."_

_"Hmph, as if a third rate Magus like you could help me."_

_"RIN!"_

_"Goodbye...Shirou. I'll admit, it was fun while it lasted."_

_"RIN!"_

"I see you still haven't fixed your...issue than?" Shirou knew her reaction when he allowed his lips to form a small smirk at the Tohsaka revealing her hand. "Are you really that desperate?"

"Honestly?" Rin knelt in front of him, the four pitch black rings on her hand almost glowing before she plunged her hand into Shirou's chest. Ignoring his gasp, Rin met his suddenly wide eyes. "Yes, I am _very_ desperate."

Ripping her hand out, Rin glanced at her hand, noting the seemingly disappearing black rings on each of her finger mere moments ago but the markings were missing as well, gone as the Tohsaka smirked.

"But now, I can at least be assured it will be fixed." Rin stood up, Shirou staring forward with wide eyes, seemingly looking at nothing as his body began shaking yet again, familiar black markings appearing around his neck.

"You..you..." Shirou pitched forward, hitting the ground unconscious as two men stepped forward, dragging him into the awaiting car as Rin stepped in on the other side.

"Our deal, Tohsaka?" Bazett sat opposite Rin, not at all shocked when Shirou was thrown onto the floor, an identical bracelet she was wearing at the moment on both of his wrists and keeping them bound in front of him.

"Our deal was that you bring me Emiya, not let him escape and make me take matters into my own hands." Rin slipped her glove back on, not bothering to look at Bazett, the Enforcer very good at hiding her anger but not in this situation, her hands were balled into fists at her side while she held back the urge to simply beat Rin to death, knowing the consequences of such an action and finding them a fate she would wish to avoid.

"You did not inform me that he would be so formidable, he is very well trained." Bazett's voice was surprisingly calm, not the growl Rin had expected with Bazett's growing anger. "Our deal never included prolonged conflict."

"You just won't admit you failed against a cripple, will you?" Rin gave a dismissing wave of her hand, amusement clear on her face as Bazett grew more and more angry, that was until the bracelet on her wrist flashed with a pale blue light, something that made Bazett flinch, something that in turn made the Tohsaka Magus smirk as she leaned back in her seat. "Now, what were you saying Bazett?"

"Nothing, nothing at all." Bazett looked away from Rin, instead choosing to focus on the stirring Shirou, impressed at how quickly he was able to come to. "He is waking up."

"Of course he is, I would expect nothing less from him." Rin picked Shirou's discarded cane up off the floor, glancing at it before a somewhat sadistic smirk came over her face as she swung down.

The cane was caught by the heel of Shirou's black shoe, the Magus almost lazily opening his eyes to stare at the Tohsaka, someone he had grown to despise over the years, a feeling mainly caused by her numerous plots.

"Quite the rude awakening, don't you think, Tohsaka?" Shirou sighed before he moved surprisingly fast, his cane kicked into the air and landing in his bound hands before Rin could move it away and the Emiya Magus slowly worked his way to his feet, a surprise helping hand from Bazett but one he silently understood once he saw the bracelet on her wrist.

"So, I see how desperate you are now." Shirou glanced down at his hands, the bracelets at the moment dull and allowing him to move them freely. "Almost pathetically if you've resorted to these old things. I could swear I destroyed them when we separated."

"You destroyed fakes obviously and can you really not just say I dumped someone as pathetic as you?" Rin's words were met with a brief chuckle from Shirou, the white haired Magus not bothering to hide his amusement.

"Really now?" Shirou managed to stop his laughter, amusement leaking into his voice. "You really won't admit it was mutual, how shameful Tohsaka."

"I believe the greater shame is that you continue to delude yourself Emiya." Rin looked out the window, smirking at what she saw and Shirou couldn't stop his groan, the Magus seemingly knowing it would be bad.

"I guess I should have dressed for work today." Shirou sighed as he closed his eyes, a familiar image appearing in his mind before his rather abysmal amounts of Prana began to flow throughout his boy, strengthening it as he tensed slightly before quickly relaxing, applying his Reinforcement to the absolute limit as something struck the car.

"What happened?" Tohsaka held an admirable calm as she simply leaned back in her seat, the driver quickly gaining control of the car yet again and the skid of tires were heard as they shot down the streets of London, no doubt fleeing from their attacker even if it seemed useless, Shirou recognized a blowout after a second attack struck the car, nearly sending it careening off the road.

"You have quite the driver Tohsaka, who is he by chance?" Shirou stopped his Reinforcement, finding it worthless at the moment as the car hadn't done anything but slide.

"He's quite unimportant, I picked him up only a few days ago from an associate." Rin waved her hand off to the side, helping to express her indifference and mostly lack of care for the man currently doing his best to avoid a third shot, successfully doing so as he picked up speed.

"An "associate", really now Tohsaka?" Shirou had a small smirk as he leaned forward, locking eyes with Rin as he kept both hands on the head of his cane. "We both know they are little better than a slave to you."

"I suppose you're correct." the Tohsaka Head shrugged her shoulders, instead her eyes were focused on Shirou's slightly exposed right arm, the end of beginning of a rather intricate tattoo covering it, something that caused her to chuckle when she spotted it. "Really now Emiya? You were so desperate to ask that little psycho for that much? You allowed her to do "that" to you?"

Shirou seemed unconcerned by Rin's statement or the sneer she spoke her question with, instead he rolled up his sleeve, fully displaying the large tattoo taking up the lower half of right arm.

"You caused this." Shirou kept his eyes locked on the markings, his eyes roving over them despite having fully memorized it a long time ago. "You and your worthless pride made me do it."

_"DO IT!"_

_"What? You'll never survive as you are now!"_

_"I don't care!"_

_"Well I do! I won't kill you Shirou!"_

_"Death is better than this! Now do it!"_

_"...Alright but this is it. This is the last time I'll do something like this for you after that last..."_

_"I..I know."_

_"Then...then...Emiya-kun, can I ask you something?"_

_"..."_

_"I understand, I'll go pre..."_

_"What?"_

_"Are you sure?"_

_"This may be the last time we talk, let's end it all with a clean air."_

_"Alright then...did you ever think you could love me? If it wasn't for Rin, could we have had a future?"_

_"No...there was truly never a future for someone like you with someone like me. I would have pushed you to do better...just like you did after we ended up together."_

_"But I never loved him like I loved you."_

_"Loving me is loving a fool."_

_"Then I love a fool."_

_"...please, let's just get this over with."_

_"What happened to "a clean air"?"_

_"Filth like me will dirty the air around me, I guess I lied to you."_

_"Emiya-kun..."_

_"Just-just get it over with already, I need to stop her."_

_"Alright, we'll see just how strong you are Emiya."_

_"Thank you...thank you Tohsaka."_

_"Let's just finish this."_

"You and your damn pride drove me to this Tohsaka." Shirou pulled his eyes away from the tattoo and the memories he wished he never had, he would take the pain he endured for the mark on his arm a thousand times than be forced to remember the memories he could never find himself able to let go of. Perhaps, if he could do so, if he could finally release them, he could let her go.

* * *

AN: So, how was it? Good? Bad? Terribly unclear at some points? Outright confusing in others?

Peace.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own and/or claim to own any recognizable and/or licensed material appearing in this work of fiction in any way, shape, and or form. I am not attempting to and/or making a profit from this work of fiction in any way, shape, and/or form. All recognizable and/or licensed material appearing in this work of fiction belongs to their respective owners in every way, shape, and/or form.

* * *

Shirou Emiya followed the car with his eyes as it rolled down the street, keeping an eye on it until he knew it was long gone while currently ignoring his "partner" in the task Tohsaka had set him on before dumping the two out and driving off.

"She plans for us to die?" his "partner", a Bazett Fraga McRemitz asked him. "She's insane for asking for something like that, it can't be found!"

"No, I know precisely where it is." Shirou turned around as he spoke, looking at the building behind him and sighing, ignoring the look of shock coming across Bazett's face as he allowed a humorless grin to cross his face.

_"Just think about it Rin! A perfect little getaway for the both of us!"_

_"I suppose you're right, just how much will all this cost? The Tohsaka aren't as well off as we should be because of that Fake Priest."_

_"I've got it all covered, I took a few jobs with Enforcers and they paid pretty well."_

_"Idiot."_

_"Hey! I made sure to just do what you taught me!"_

_"IDIOT!"_

_"OWW! Why'd you hit me?"_

_"I wanted to show you off later! If I could turn a third rate like you into something like that I would have gotten apprenticeship offers from everyone!"_

_"...You're weird Tohsaka. Very, very weird."_

_"It comes with being with you Emiya."_

_"Oh come on! You know you love me!"_

_"Who said I didn't?"_

_"So, am I getting lucky tonight then?"_

_"How about you "get lucky" once we're inside."_

_"Done."_

'You truly are an absolute bitch, aren't you Tohsaka?'

"What!" Bazett nearly fell off her feet at his words, the Magus uncaring as he glanced around for a moment before walking down the side of the building.

"Quiet now please Ms. McRemitz, we still need to plan since I didn't leave it undefended." Shirou didn't bother turning to face her, continuing his walk with some help from his cane, wincing for a moment as Bazett recognized the signs of passing through a Bounded Field.

"And I take it only you know how to avoid it all?" Bazett rushed to catch up with him, finding herself easily slipping through the Bounded Field that seemed to cause the white haired Magus pain if his continued winces with each step were any indication.

"Of course not, I had...help. I hid it and they helped me to seal it's power." Shirou stopped halfway down the side of the building, his eyes now searching for something, something Bazett had no idea of.

"How could someone with your..."skills" possibly seal something of that power." Bazett decided to simply wait, leaning against the fence behind her as she decided to at least learn what the black haired devil had sent them after.

"Like I said...I had plenty of "help" in that little project of mine." Shirou seemed to find what he was looking for, bringing his cane up and pressing the handle to a specific brick, it suddenly flashing from a rather dull red to a pitch black before a small portion of the wall in front of them, enough for one person to enter, crumbled away.

Shirou seemed to sigh in relief as he stepped inside, walking without much use of his cane down the dark corridor the collapsing wall has revealed even as Bazett hesitated to follow him, her instincts screaming at her to simply leave now or else things would end badly.

"Are you coming or what Bazett?" Shirou, for the first time since they had stepped out the car, stopped to fully face Bazett as he spoke, something that urged her to take a step forward and immediately black out at the overwhelming pain washing over her entire body.

"If you had just followed me I could have caught you."

* * *

Bazett found herself slowly coming to, still in raw agony but a considerably lesser amount that before, something she could actually handle with just some minor discomfort.

"Tea?" a cup was held out for her, courtesy of the man who had lead to her being knocked out, something he seemed not to care about as he sat at a chair next to the bed she woke up in. "Or would you perhaps like something stronger?"

"Why would you knock me unconscious? What purpose could that possible serve when we are..."partners" from Tohsaka's actions?" Bazett ignored the offered cup, instead doing her best to glare at the Magus in front of her, even as he sighed.

"I guess my work was wasted than." Shirou seemed to shrug, draining the cup a moment later and standing up. "Well, we should probably be getting to work then."

"With what?" Bazett slowly sat up, finding she could but not much else as a wave of pain washed over her.

"With finding what Rin wants so I can kill her." Shirou walked away, not giving Bazett a chance to tell him how stupid his plan was or how it would undoubtedly end. She should know, she had tried to do the same and was now under Tohsaka's "caring" employment.

_"You know, I'm a bit disappointed at the old crones, I would have thought they would have sent more than just one assassin." Tohsaka was undisturbed by the fact that a masked figure had just kicked down her door, dragging in two of her worthless guard with her, identical rune marks burning on daggers buried in their chests. "But I suppose they at least supplied you well, those morons haven't gone off yet like I intended."_

_"Rin Tohsaka, any last words before you die?" the assassin threw away the two men, sending them back outside the doorway after using them as possible shields against an attack, finding them useless since Tohsaka did nothing._

_"Really none," Rin seemed to shrug before she looked over her assassin, a smirk forming on her face. "Do you have any?"_

_"I won't be dying today." the assassin didn't waste any more time, rushing forward as runes across her clothing began to glow, empowering her._

_"Checkmate." Tohsaka set her glass down, just as the assassin collapsed, mere feet from their target, screaming as a blade suddenly appeared in their back, ripping out from inside them. _

_Tohsaka merely chuckled as she stood up, taking her time as the assassin continued to scream as smaller blades began to spread across their body, sprouting through their skin while Tohsaka grabbed a small green gem off the table in front of her._

_"I want to introduce you to one of the weapons of my useless boyfriend, since I dumped him I decided to keep one of his toys, suspended in a few Bounded Fields of course, Bounded Fields you triggered when you broke down my door." Tohsaka began filling the gem in her hand with Prana, it quickly reshaping itself into a bracelet. "But these," Tohsaka's eyes held an almost loving gaze in them as she looked over the bracelet in her hands before sneering down at the now silent assassin, blades stitching her lips together. ", these are my toys and I do so love them."_

_Panicked filled the assassin's eyes as Tohsaka approached, very quickly reconsidering taking the contract to eliminate the woman as the swords across her body began to turn inwards, slowly, taking time to pierce each individual spot, each and every organ was slowly being invaded._

_"But where are my manners?" Tohsaka crouched down next to the assassin, one hand easily pulling off their mask and Bazett Fraga McRemitz felt fear for one of the true times in her life. "I haven't even asked for your name yet."_

_"Please, take this as an apology."_

Bazett shook herself out of memories she would rather forget, of the cold, the cell she had spent far too long in. She just wanted to forget it all but it was all to much, she was falling again, the cold was returning, the burning of the bracelet, the blade in her back sl...

"Stop shaking." a hard slap knocked her out of the bed, ending up on her back on the floor as the emotionless eyes of Shirou Emiya locked with her sudden clear ones. He looked her over for only a moment before sighing as he began to walk away, making little use of his cane as he held it in his hands, idly switching it from one hand to the other. "I don't need you living in the past when we have work to do, at least I do but I do need a competent assistant for that."

Bazett shook herself again, rubbing her cheek for a moment before she noticed something. The nearly constant pain she felt once she had stepped inside of wherever the Emiya had brought her had vanished. She found she could easily stand up, actually feeling energized as she quickly rose to her feet.

Only to immediately nearly fall back on her butt as she stared around her at the hi-tech room in front of her, several tables filled with technology she would probably never know how to work even as she spotted Shirou sit down at a monitor, it suddenly coming to life the moment his fingers touched the keyboard. For a Magus, the Emiya seemed almost impossibly tech savvy as he looked for something, finding it quickly and a few click later a large monitor, taking up the majority of a wall off to Bazett's left came to life. The monitor showed blueprints, blueprints to a building Bazett immediately recognized, something Shirou found some good in.

At least she would be somewhat familiar with the building he would be dragging her to, it would have been a pain to actually have to explain everything to her while also giving her the plan he had come up with. They would only waste time, time he knew was far too precious to spend on such a trivial thing.

'Hmph, I can't help the memories I suppose.' Shirou allowed a joyless smirk to cross his face before slowly shaking his head, finding himself once again disappointed in himself as memories he would rather ignore for the rest of his life came to the front of his mind. 'I live far too much in the past it seems if even these old blueprints can bring up those memories.'

_"I hope you know what you're doing, I doubt these will keep my sister away for long."_

_"I don't need long, I just need to make it here."_

_"Really?"_

_"What can I say? She'll never expect it to be there of all places."_

_"I guess you're right, just be ready for when she finds it."_

_"She never will."_

"I'm such a damn fool at times." Shirou spoke more to himself than Bazett, allowing himself to wallow in self pity for a moment as he wished for a drink to clear his head, something he very quickly snapped out of as he rose to his feet, seeing Bazett walking across the room, her eyes focused on what the tarps covered at the end of the room.

* * *

After her initial shock at all of the technology filling the room, Bazett's eyes locked onto the darkened part of the room where several tarps covered whatever was at the end of the room, something she took an interest in.

'Tarps are only there to hide most things.'

Bazett found herself almost drawn towards them, walking past everything after spotting Shirou seemingly lost in his memories for a moment. The Enforcer intended to simply take a simple peek at what was under the tarps and then discuss why Shirou would have blueprints to a building like _that_ up on the monitor.

She had nearly reached the tarps when Shirou stood up, banging his cane on the ground to get her attention.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, those tarps cover just some worthless junk." Shirou's point was proven wrong as three large swords appeared in front of Bazett, keeping her from advancing without having to shatter the blades in front of her. "Some junk I plan to destroy later since I'm here."

"Are you sure?" Bazett turned to face Shirou, his eyes suddenly cold, empty, as he looked past her at the tarps.

"Most definitely Ms. McRemitz."

* * *

"Ms. Tohsaka, I'm afraid to say we lost them after you dropped them off, they seemingly disappeared down an alley and we couldn't pick up the trail after that." the voice at the end of the phone was barely holding back there terror, struggling to keep themselves together while Rin simply smirked.

'So he still has that old dump then? I thought it would be fun to watch that cripple hobble all the way to his house with those memories pestering him but it seems I overestimated him, I guess the emotions that place held weren't strong enough for him to destroy it.' Rin couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped her lips, finding the thought that Shirou held onto such a building highly amusing.

"It is fine, I expected it after all." Rin didn't bother listening to their response, hanging up and tossing the cellphone away as she picked up her glass of wine.

"I suppose you find it all worth it then?" a man with appeared out of the corner of her eye, Tohsaka smirking at the figure in front of her, setting down her wine glass.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't my ever loyal dog. Come back to master at last?" Rin leaned back in her chair, her smirk growing as the man stopped in front of her.

"You truly believe I need someone as worthless as you?" the man chuckled as he sat down opposite Rin, picking up the bottle of wine on the table and pouring himself a glass. "How pathetic are you?"

"You dare?" Rin slowly rose to her feet, almost whispering her question as the man just chuckled again, seemingly amused at the Tohsaka's Head anger towards him.

"I do dare because I know how weak you are, I know how pathetic you are, how you truly are nothing without that stupid boy." the man took a drink of wine after his words, continuing to ignore Rin as her gloved hands balled into fists. "Oh, are you angry now?"

"No, anger is far to weak of a word to describe my current feelings towards you." Rin quickly calmed herself down, taking another drink of wine from her glass. "I am beyond enraged, I am far beyond any level of anger you can possibly have."

"Hmm, it seems you never changed, did you Rin?" the man took a long drink of wine, a smirk on his lips before setting the glass down. "I'm truly not that surprised."

"And you are just as I remembered you." Rin poured herself another glass, not bothering to lift the bottle this time and instead a minor use of Magecraft did so for her.

"Really Rin? Isn't that a bit lazy?"

"When you find you're body slowly dying you would understand why some things should be done differently."

"Hmm, interesting."

Just like that, the man suddenly vanished, Rin far too used to this to be concerned.

'You truly are a character you bastard.'

* * *

"Are you sure we have to dress like this?" Bazett was more uncomfortable than she would admit, the white haired Magus, currently black haired, merely chuckling as he pulled her tighter against him.

"Come now honey, we don't need to do this for long. This is simply surveillance." Shirou chuckled at the red faced Bazett.

She had some good reason to since he had given her a rather revealing bikini while just had on a pair of black and red trunks. He had looked through the few outfits he had there and after a few seconds he had decided on a couple on a beach for his recon, something he found amusing as Bazett was beyond embarrassed at the red bikini she had to wear, one rather tight on her.

'Rin looked quite stunning on that trip in that, too bad she's such a bitch now.' Shirou kept his sunglasses down, a Mystic Code he had been given as half a gift and half an order from a popular Mystic Code maker. They scanned an area, helping him to look over it later and compose the best plans of infiltration several times in the past. 'Let's see if she's a good enough distraction, those idiots in front seem easily distracted.'

Despite the plan he had come up with, Shirou still needed to take a look into the interior of the building, simply to finalize a few parts and partly because he had heard it was remodeled a few years ago. That and several more things made it imperative that he scan the inside of the building, something he could do either with a few days of looking at the building or just a few hours inside.

"Get ready Bazett, your part of the plan is about to begin."

"I just want you to know I take no pleasure in this and will hurt you for making me do this."

"And here I thought you were a professional Bazett."

"I am, this is just simply ridiculous."

"I need this information if we are to succeed."

"If you believe that makes this alright then you are greatly mistaken."

Shirou merely chuckled as he stopped, letting Bazett walk forward. He was mildly impressed when she put on a confident demeanor on top of a sway to her hips, getting the attention of the two mediocre guards, two fresh Enforcers from the Magus Association, that followed the woman walking past them with their eyes, allowing the Emiya to easily slip inside the building.

'And here we go.' Shirou chuckled to himself as he spotted the door he needed to step through, straight into the massive mess he had made so many years ago.

* * *

AN: And the plot thickens.

Peace.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Refer to chapter 1.

AN: Well, sorry for the long wait but this should be a two-parter in order to help.

* * *

"Evening."

"Ev-."

"Dumbass."

Shirou Emiya dropped the now unconscious guard's body on the ground, quickly searching them for the key he would need to access what he needed, something he never told Bazett about. The less people who knew how to access his storage, the better it was for him.

'She doesn't need to know, I just need to find it quickly.' Shirou rose to his feet slowly, sighing as he yet again came up empty handed, well except for another of Rin's bracelets, something he slipped into his pocket. 'But this may help me in the end, the less pawns she has when I get it, the less trouble it is in killing her.'

Shirou continued on his way, a black cloak wrapping around his body and he seemed to blend into the shadows from it.

'But I suppose I should thank her before I do so. She was...helpful in many of my endeavors. At least before she lost her mind.'

_"Give up, I've won Emiya."_

_"SHIROU!"_

_"Tai-"_

_"Die fool."_

_"NO! Please no!"_

_"Ohh, it seems you're willing to finally make that deal now, right?"_

_"You...you...I'LL KILL YOU!"_

_"ARGH!"_

_"What was that Emiya? You said you want me to kill her?"_

_"I promise you that I will kill you for this."_

_"My, my, what a Magus you've become, making such a promise. But that doesn't matter now as-"_

_"UGH!"_

_"-I want what you stole from me."_

_"I'll take you to it, just please leave her alone."_

_"Now you know I can't do that Emiya, you are hardly trustworthy. I mean, in your own words, "honor, pride, and all of that stuff is crap", you told me that yourself."_

_"Yes, but I'm also, in your words, "A stupid heroic fool, someone who would do anything to protect the people he loves" and the woman you want to kill is one of them."_

_"I guess I can trust you, at least for now."_

_"AHHH!"_

_"YOU BITCH!"_

_"I never said she would leave unharmed. Now bring it to me or the next one will actually take something off."_

'Taiga...have you ever thought of me since that day? Have you even thought of forgiving me?' Shirou sighed as the memories of that hellish day returned, the day that had ended with him far away from Fuyuki and Rin and him separated for good, something he wished he had done sooner. Preferably with a sword through her skull or perhaps take a page out of his father's book and use a rocket launcher. 'I truly wished I had killed Rin before then, before she had a chance to fall so far...before I truly lost her to her madness.'

* * *

_"What do you want Shirou?" Rin looked away from her books, finding the white haired Magus behind her and holding one of the books she had finished in his hands, idly looking through it._

_"I just wanted to see how long you've been up, I've been gone for about three days and it looks like you haven't moved." Shirou stepped forward, setting the book down on a table nearby. "So Rin, how long have you've been up?"_

_"Five days at best Shirou, now leave me alone so I can finish my research." _

_Shirou stopped himself from speaking for once, his gray eyes hardening as he entered what many called his "Work Mode" as he took a slight step forward, watching Rin for any sign of noticing his movement, something she didn't._

_"You haven't really been the same since we've came back from that mess we got into, do you think we should talk about it or something?" Shirou tried to keep his tone casual, looking over the multitude of books Rin had stacked around her even as he took a few steps forward, a good striking range for a sword but that wasn't what he had in mind at the moment, something longer would have been preferred but that would make it all too obvious then, what he needed above all else was to be discreet but also be certain._

_"Why would we? We both came back fine." Rin had turned back to her books some time ago, deciding to ignore the worried white haired man behind her as she instead continued to focus on her research._

_"You nearly died, you even thought you were going to die." Shirou picked up one of the books at the top of the stack, yet again the same topic but this one seemed more in-depth than any of the others he could see, perhaps Rin would be finished soon and move onto another field of research._

_'I see...she is as obsessed as I thought.'_

_"I was wrong and my injuries at the time did not help." Rin closed the book, reaching out to grab a book next to her only for her hand to be grabbed by Shirou._

_"We both had injuries yet before we both thought pretty clearly, I knew how to fight and you knew how to keep me from getting killed that entire time and we were both bleeding more than was healthy." Shirou pulled Rin away from the desk, ignoring her growing irritation towards him._

_"What's your point Emiya?" Rin was now clearly aggravated, not bothering hiding it as she pushed Shirou away from her._

_"What does it really mean to you?" Shirou didn't meet her eyes, instead his eyes were focused past her, towards the books she had yet to read._

_"What?" Rin's irritation was replaced by confusion, something brought on by Shirou's lack of action after pushing him away. He was usually more persistent than this._

_"What does this obsession mean to you?" Shirou asked his question again, his eyes still focused on the books behind her._

_"It is far from an obsession Emiya, I am simply focusing more on the goal all Magus must have." Rin turned back to her desk, intending to continue her current research when she suddenly felt a familiar sensation from her hands._

_"I see then." Shirou stepped forward, reaching behind his back and drawing out a dagger, something a friend of the couple had made as a gift, a wedding gift actually._

_"What are you doing?" Rin didn't move, she didn't turn around, didn't face Shirou as a sudden anger filled her, something she didn't try to ignore. "Who do you think you are Emiya?"_

_"I'm a killer, I kill people who fall to far and don't want to stop." Shirou looked down at the knife in his hands, running one hand over the elegant if simple silver blade. "I'm nothing but a killer, an Executor for the Holy Church. A heretic to a lot of people, and a monster given as a gift to others."_

_"Shirou..." Rin collapsed, not able to stand as once again pain ripped through her, nearly causing her to scream before Shirou was there, holding her as he whispered something before she felt a warm relief fill her._

_'Not today, not today when she's like this.' Shirou held Rin close, keeping her against him as she struggled to suppress screams at the agony ripping through her body every few moments. 'I...I was wrong. Please let me be wrong.'_

_For once, Shirou Emiya decided to ignore his instincts, he decided to ignore them nearly screaming at him to stop Rin now, a single movement and the knife would be lodged through her heart, a painless death and one he had given countless times. Instead he decided to hold Rin as agony ripped through her from the curse. The curse he should have saved her from._

* * *

'If I could rewrite the past? Would I do so? Would I have killed her then?' Shirou sighed to himself as two knives were suddenly thrown from his hands, stopping a guard from raising the alarm as he slowly walked up to them. 'No time for reminiscing I suppose, it looks like they found the bodies sooner than I thought. I knew I should have simply killed them, burning the bodies would have been easier than hiding them.'

'But, I suppose it's time to get serious. The past is the past, I need to focus on the present and my future, my hands wrapped around her throat.'

* * *

Bazett Fraga McRemitz somehow held herself back from killing the two Enforcers that had checked her out. Instead, she had simply broken most of the bones in their arms and beaten them to _near_ death.

'He should be done by now.' Bazett grabbed her clothes from a bag nearby, glad she had decided to hide a few spares around the building before her "partner" had gotten her into the ridiculous outfit he made her wear. 'If not, I'll simply wait for him outside the building.'

Bazett calmly walked out the alley, ignoring the nearly dead Enforcers behind her as she put in a call, calling in a minor favor to get the two some medical attention before she lost credibility with the other Enforcers. With any threats to her reputation now handled, she allowed her mind to drift as she walked back towards the building, now that it was guard free she had little reason to approach it with stealth.

'I hope you're done Emiya, you aren't getting any more time after that ridiculous stunt you decided to pull.'

* * *

"Ms. Tohsaka, he's been spotted in the building!" one of her guards rushed into the room, Rin grinning as she took another sip from her glass of wine.

"Good, I can't wait to have my _dear husband _back." Rin set down her wine glass, glancing towards the figure across from her. "I do want to enjoy his company again."

"Ms. Tohsaka, what would you like us to do with him?" the guard remained next to her, waiting for her next orders and with good reason. The last one to leave early didn't stay whole for long.

"Kill him of course." Rin grinned as she waved her hand, sending him rushing away as she looked towards the grinning figure across from her.

"As tactful as always Rin." the man across from her chuckled as he looked at her, taking another drink of the wine glass in his hands. "I'm surprised you're even as capable as you seem right now."

"Do you ever shut up?" Rin used another minor use of Magecraft to pour herself another glass of wine, taking a small sip of it before the man yet again chuckled.

"As always Rin, you always have the perfect thing to say." the man grinned as he vanished, his wine glass dropping onto the table as she took another long sip from her wine glass.

'Just you wait you bastard, soon I'll have him back and you'll be gone.'

* * *

Shirou sighed as he sidestepped the next guard to attempt to grab him before his cane connected solidly with their skull before he pushed the dazed man away as a silver light filled their eyes before they screamed, rushing towards their partner and slamming into him. A silver dart ripped through each of their neck moments later, ending them in a puddle of blood as Shirou closed his eyes briefly, tapping into the Bounded Fields around the building and finding far too many guards remaining inside for him to search.

'There has to be an easier way to do this but how?' Shirou sighed at his lack of an idea before he spotted another patrol and quickly opened his eyes and began walking away from the dead guards. 'I need to discover it soon.'

"Stop, Emiya!" one of the guards spotted him and Shirou sighed as he turned the corner as they began running down the hall. Despite himself, he grinned at the dead end he found himself in.

'Terrific, this is quite an incredible stroke of luck.'

"Are we really going to do this?" Shirou calmly looked around him at the sight in front of him, three guards directly in front of him, himself backed into a corner in the form of the "dead end" he had walked into, and five more guards getting closer with every moment he wasted. "I don't feel like killing today but I won't avoid it, understood?"

"She wants him dead, ensure it's done." a guard spoke moments later, directing the two next to him to attack.

They didn't even get to open their Magic Circuits as suddenly Shirou was in front of them, striking one in the chest as a blade suddenly in his hands slammed into the side of another one. The third, obviously the leader, managed to throw a curse at him which a large sword appearing in front of him stopped before his fist shattered it as he struck the man in the chest, throwing him back and against the wall.

"Trace." Shirou's hands were filled with red light for a moment even as he let out a low grunt of pain. Moments later, the married black and white blades known as Kanshou and Bakuya were in his hands as the five other guards reached him.

"What does Ms. Tohsaka want us to do with him?" one of the new guards asked, his Magic Circuits already active it seemed along with the other four.

"Kill him." the leader of the first three guards shouted out as he stumbled back to his feet, dazed from his head striking the wall Shirou's blow had sent him into.

Once again, Shirou struck first, lashing out with a thrown Kanshou as he blitzed forward, Bakuya held out in front of him and cutting a curse thrown at him in half, the edge taking on a different color as the Emiya caught Kanshou as it came back around. He cut down two of the Magus attacking him with ease as the remaining three grouped together, stupidly thinking they was some type of safety in numbers.

They didn't last a moment longer that the other two, Shirou simply throwing Bakuya at them like a dart and it exploded once one held their hand out to catch it. Before the three could even recover from the blinding flash of the blast as well as the deafening shockwave, a small blade lodged in each of their necks, the force of the throw throwing them back and actually pinning them all to the wall behind. Shirou hardly spared them a glance, doing the same to the other downed guards around him before he snapped his fingers, markings on the hilt of the blades suddenly igniting with a dark red glow. The bodies were gone in a flash of fire, the heat intense enough that Shirou used Alteration on his jacket, turning it into a long trench coat with tight shirt with a half mask on his face, covering most of it below his eyes as he turned away from the heat, shielding what was exposed of his face with his arms.

"That was eventful." Shirou pulled the mask down, sighing as flames as cold as ice engulfed one hand before his cane was back in it and his clothing returned to normal as he glanced around at the now bare hallway. "Now, where was I before that interruption?"

_"I think you were looking for what is rightfully mine."_ a heavy feeling to his head accompanied the voice, Shirou briefly holding his head with his hand as he closed his eyes, focusing on the connection he knew was there.

"Oh just great, your voice is now in my head, how...delightful."

_"Many would be begging to have me as their thoughts unlike someone like you might I add."_

"At least I don't enslave people."

_"At least I'm not pretending to be something I'm not."_

"I don't pretend Tohsaka, I'm a professional."

_"Then why couldn't you kill me?"_

"I was a rookie then, now I'm far from one."

_"Hahaha, is that a threat Emiya?"_

"No, threats are far to lax, I am making you a promise, more along the lines of fulfilling one actually."

_"And what is this oh so terrifying promise?"_

"My promise, as it was before, is that I will finish what I started years ago and kill you for everything you've done to ME, the hell you've put me through ever since this delusion entered your mind."

_"We'll see Emiya, we'll see."_

The heavy feeling he was having in his head finally abated, something he was glad for as he turned his attention to something a bit more important in his opinion, finding what he needed as it seemed one of the now dead guards did have the key he needed to get into the lower levels of the building, something they probably had no idea existed.

It was designed to his specifications after all and luckily not even Rin knew it all as he had kept the original blueprints and then burned them after the building was complete.

'Now, let's see how this works out.' Shirou pressed the key into what was "dead end" he had been "trapped" by, the key glowing for a moment before it sunk into the wall and a ripple seemed to spread across it before with a deep breath he stepped into it. Unwanted, his memories of the last time he entered the room came to him.

* * *

_"Sakura, can you hear me?" a much younger Shirou Emiya stood in front of the same wall, the man somehow different, as he pressed a finger to the earpiece in his ear._

_"Loud and clear." the voice of Sakura Matou came over the line, something that he was glad for._

_"Good, that means the new channel works, it looks like our communications can't be blocked like you thought and perhaps we can avoid getting any unwanted company here either." Shirou sighed in relief as it seemed their gamble had played off, the channel was secure so it looked like they were safe._

_"I'm glad I was right." Sakura's tone held similar relief but she was still far from comfortable with what the two were now currently doing. "Let's hope we don't have any other problems today, you're still far from a hundred percent after what happened with Rin."_

_"Please don't remind me about that Sakura." Shirou winced simply remembering the day they intended to enact his plan and subdue Rin so they could help her but that was quickly shot down the drain, everything had gone wrong as she had known what they intended before he had even woken up that day, probably a month in advance in truth. "That's one breakup I don't want to remember." Despite it all, Shirou managed to laugh despite the horrible "breakup" he and Rin had recently gone through._

_"I just don't think this is a great idea. Rin hasn't been the same for a while now and I don't think she'll take well to this." the voice of Sakura Tohsaka reached him through the earpiece, Shirou sighing at her words before leaning against the wall next to him. "Just look at what she did to you, she nearly killed you."_

_"Nearly Sakura, hardly the first time I've dealt with some angry Magus." Shirou once again saw something funny about his situation, laughing yet again as Sakura sighed._

_"Shirou, just be careful. Rin isn't like the usual people you fight, she knows everything about you, inside and out. She taught you everything you know about Magecraft, she knows how you work and how you act. She's your worst opponent right now so please-" Sakura couldn't finish, a laugh from Shirou interrupting her._

_"She doesn't know everything Sakura." Any sign of his grin was gone, now jut a dark smirk covered his face. "I've got a bad habit of keeping secrets from people."_

_"Shirou, trust me, she knows." Sakura spoke as if it was a fact, something that made Shirou shake his head before speaking again._

_"Sakura, don't worry about Rin, I'm somewhat sure she won't be a problem." Shirou grinned despite his words but frowned at the sigh it caused from Sakura, he had attempted to lighten the mood but ti seems like he failed._

_"Shirou, _please_ take this seriously." Sakura seemed to stress "please",attempting to get the Magus to listen to her. "Rin is dangerous and she's determined to get what she want so badly she'll do anything for it and that includes hurting the people who love her."_

_"Good thing I don't love that crazy woman anymore." Shirou managed a small chuckle from his words, drawing something close to a groan of frustration from Sakura._

_"Shirou just promise me you won't underestimate her." Sakura's voice held desperation now, something that made Shirou grimace._

_'Good job Emiya, you're worrying her again.'_

_"I know what's happening Sakura but whatever she is right not, it's not the Rin we know, she's been changed by the curse." Shirou's words were met with a disappointed noise from Sakura._

_"Did you think, just once, that's the real Rin. She's still a Magus." Sakura's word brought a silence from Shirou for a moment before he spoke again._

_"Sakura..." Shirou's voice was quiet, unusual for him._

_"I-I didn't mean it as a bad thing but-" Sakura was near panicked as she spoke before stopping as Shirou interrupted her._

_"No...you may be right." Shirou slid down the wall as he spoke, sighing as he found himself overcome by emotions he should have buried and now acted like a child, sitting on the ground with one knee to his chest while his other leg was stretched out in front of him and a look of both disappointment at his life at the moment and his own anger at himself. "I just don't want to believe that's the real Rin." Shirou hated the fact but he was near tears thinking that the woman he loved was always the monster she was now. "I really don't want to believe it."_

_"I could be wrong..." Sakura was lying to herself, she knew she was most likely right. Rin had always been like this just never as bad as she was now._

_"No." Shirou cursed his weakness yet again. He was supposed to be above this, forsaking his emotions a long time ago in order to be a real Hero, someone able to take themselves out of the equation and only think of saving people. "I thought I knew her but I didn't." _

_"Neither did I." Sakura wiped away her tears, despite her own feelings she needed to get Shirou back up again and right now this conversation was only hurting him now. "Now let's finish this Shirou."_

_"Yeah...I guess we should." Shirou, despite his current feelings, managed a grin. "I've been dying to see if this actually works."_

_"There's no time like the present now do it...my hero." Sakura's last word made Shirou laugh as he picked himself up, laughing despite all the reasons not to._

_'Hero...I'm the farthest thing from one.' It was laughable to think he was a hero, he would never be one after not even being able to save his own wife from her curse. _

_"Sakura..." Shirou couldn't finish as he pressed two fingers to the earpiece, stopping for a moment to gather himself. "...thank you." pressing down on the earpiece turned it off before Sakura could speak again, something that Shirou was glad for as he highly doubted he could continue speaking to his childhood friends, not with what he was planning to do to her sister._

_Realigning his focus, the Enforcer turned towards to what many would see as a dead end, a pointless hallway that lead to nowhere, an oversight in the construction perhaps. He was glad no one knew the truth as he reached under his shirt, drawing out the key at the end of the chain and ripping it off. A surge of Prana through his hand and into the key made it shine, markings on it beginning to glow as he pressed it into the wall next to him, the key easily sinking in and a ripple spread through the wall._

_Taking a deep breath, Shirou pushed himself forward, stepping through the wall and gasping as he came out on the other side, falling onto his hands and knees in a sudden exhaustion, panting for breath as he struggled to keep himself. Cursing quietly, Shirou dragged himself up by the railing next to him, hardly even managing to do that before turning and ripping the key out of the other side of the wall, a ripple spreading out from it._

_"That will never stop hurting I guess...damn it." Shirou struggled back to his feet using the railing next to him and a moment of fumbling around later his hand found the light switch. "At least the lights are on."_

* * *

In the present, the raw agony coursing through his body was incredible, far greater than what he had expected, enough to send him falling to the floor screaming at the pain.

'Damn this weak body!' Shirou all but screamed as he rolled onto his back, his hand searching for his cane and failing to find it as another wave of nothing but agony ripped through him. If he knew simply stepping through the doorway would be as damaging as it was, he would have most likely sent Bazett through but now it was impossible. Going through the gate again would kill him the moment he was on the other side, he was sure of it. The only way to go back through now was to get it back and use it when he crossed back through and pray it would keep his cursed body alive.

It took time, most likely seven or so minutes, but the pain eventually abated and Shirou only groaned as he rolled onto his back, quietly cursing Rin for destroying him. The agony he had been forced to endure as he stepped through the door enough to bring back his more annoying memories. The day Rin had cursed him being most prevalent, the agony his body had just gone through little in comparison to what he had gone through at her hands so long ago.

* * *

AN: So, since it's clear what will happen, the next chapter will be a flashback that will hopefully explain most of what's happening.

Peace.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Refer to chapter 1.

AN: Again, sorry for the long delay in updates, a lot of things were on my mind.

* * *

_In the present, the raw agony coursing through his body was incredible, far greater than what he had expected, enough to send him falling to the floor screaming at the pain._

_'Damn this weak body!' Shirou all but screamed as he rolled onto his back, his hand searching for his cane and failing to find it as another wave of nothing but agony ripped through him. If he knew simply stepping through the doorway would be as damaging as it was, he would have most likely sent Bazett through but now it was impossible. Going through the gate again would kill him the moment he was on the other side, he was sure of it. The only way to go back through now was to get it back and use it when he crossed back through and pray it would keep his cursed body alive._

_It took time, most likely seven or so minutes, but the pain eventually abated and Shirou only groaned as he rolled onto his back, quietly cursing Rin for destroying him. The agony he had been forced to endure as he stepped through the door enough to bring back his more annoying memories. The day Rin had cursed him being most prevalent, the agony his body had just gone through little in comparison to what he had gone through at her hands so long ago._

* * *

_It remained quite incredible that the day that made my life nothing but a living hell began as if it was a normal, at least at that time, day for me. Always simply an astounding thing to think about even now._

Shirou Emiya groaned as he woke up, glad to have spent the night at home in Fuyuki City and not anywhere else. The only thing that would make this better would be if Rin was at home with him. Sadly, she wasn't, his wife was most likely off researching something. It didn't surprise him as, the sad truth being, he had better luck finding her studying than doing anything else for the most part. Ever since she had ended up with her curse.

'Now if only she could actually work to cure it.' Shirou sighed at the reminder of Rin's research topic as he threw his legs over the side of the bed. 'I suppose it's best to try to finish this today then.'

Mentally, he went over the entire layout of the house as well as the many weapons he had hidden around it in the past, both as precautions just encase he was ever attacked at home and now it was to bring Rin down before she could hurt herself or, much more likely, hurt him.

'Why are you making me do this Rin?' Shirou cursed his own nature. It had gotten him into this position when he and Sakura had finalized their plan.

_"I'll do it, she may go easy on me. I'm still her sister to her, at least I hope so."_

_"No...you'll get yourself killed. I've had pretty of experience dealing with Magus and I'll handle this."_

_"But Shirou, she's y-"_

_"That thing is no longer my wife, she's just another monster."_

_"Shirou..."_

_"I know you don't like this Sakura, I don't like it either, but we have to do this."_

_"I'm just trying to say that maybe we shouldn't do this."_

_"Sakura, I know you don't like this but I have to do this."_

_"What do you mean?"_

_"I'm responsible for this monster Sakura and I need to stop it."_

_"Rin isn't a monster Shirou."_

_"No, she's probably worse than one."_

_"Who are you trying to act like Shirou?"_

_"A killer."_

_"Shirou..."_

_"Bye Sakura, I'll see you soon, hopefully with Rin."_

He had volunteered, of course he would have, as he wasn't heartless. There was a very real chance their plan would fail and Rin would need to be killed and if that was the case then he wasn't going to allow Sakura to to do it. He would do everything he could to keep her alive but he was still somewhat realistic, he knew he would most likely be a widower by the end of the day.

Luckily he was already a murderer, he didn't think he could handle both in one day.

"Let's just get this over with." Shirou grabbed the Holy Shroud he had taken to wearing, simply changing its shape instead of having a large collection of clothes. Thinking better of wearing it openly, it was slipped into his pocket as he instead put on a pair of black pants and a red long sleeve shirt.

'I wonder how this will play out.'

Shirou briefly tapped into the Bounded Fields around his home, learning that Rin was downstairs in the heavily renovated basement and after a moment of thought he decided to wait for her. He knew he was dragging this out for hours then but he didn't want to kill her. He had already tried once and hadn't been able to go through with it, she had collapsed and he had abandoned the attempt to help her with Avalon, something that didn't really help in the end. It only made her want it for her research making it necessary to seal it away, something he managed to do several weeks ago.

'Maybe I should have kept it for today.' Shirou cursed himself at the thought. He was, yet again, wasn't thinking clearly as he acted impulsively, not thinking clearly and would undoubtedly suffer for it today. 'I was a fool to seal to away so early.' With that thought, a sudden idea struck Shirou as he activated most of his Magic Circuits.

'But I suppose I could use it for bait.'

"Trace." It was painstaking to do, it would normally never work but he had gotten better at, in some ways, "cheating" and was sure he could do so again. "On."

Golden light filled his hands before it began leaving them, the strands twisting together in front of him in one of his greatest copies to date. Very slowly but surely Avalon appeared in front of him, the perfect thing to draw Rin out of the basement and it seemed like it was working.

Pushing Avalon away, it floated behind him and gently rested on the table as Shirou waited for Rin, something he didn't have to wait long for as Rin stepped through the door and immediately her eyes were on Avalon.

"Shirou..." a rare smile was on Rin's face, one ignored by Shirou as he looked at Rin, as beautiful as ever to him despite everything.

'Rin...' Shirou, for the first time in what seemed to be years, saw his wife again and couldn't help but smile as he saw her for the incredible woman he had married, the smart, strong, determined, and incredible person who had stayed with him through everything. His teacher to be both a better Magus and to become a person who finally found some value in himself, something she had all but forced him to do, to acknowledge that his life mattered in the end.

"Shirou, did you finally see sense?" Rin continued to smile as she walked up to her husband, wrapping her arms around him and despite what would happen soon he held his wife close for most likely the last time.

'Rin.' Shirou tightened his hold on Rin. For once, he didn't want to follow the plan, he didn't want t give up the woman who had changed his life. For once he wanted to be selfish, to think about himself and his happiness above everything else. He didn't want to lose her for whatever reason, he didn't want to take her life, he didn't want to do anything but hold her like he was now, to love her like he did before her change.

"You finally gave it to me!" Rin was ecstatic as she pulled back to look in her husband's eyes but stopped when she saw they weren't focused on her, they weren't focused at all, he was lost in his memories. "Shirou..."

"Rin, can I ask you something?" Shirou ignored the sudden worry in Rin's eyes, instead he simply closed his eyes, banishing his memories from his mind for the moment.

"Shirou, what's wrong?" Rin's happiness had quickly faded, now she was concerned. Her husband was acting strange despite finally relenting and giving her Avalon.

"Yes or no, Rin?" Shirou's voice was dead, there was no feeling in it anymore, something that didn't surprise Rin, it only made her angry.

"Shirou, what the hell is wrong with you?" Rin pulled herself away from Shirou, the white haired Magus turning away from her, looking towards Avalon.

"I see..." Shirou sighed as Avalon shattered, Rin's horrified scream at him ignored as he instead reached up to the necklace he wore. "I don't have a wife anymore it seems."

He ripped off the necklace without a thought, a twin to the one he knew Rin wore, something that made them husband and wife. Since he no longer had a wife, it was nothing but a piece of jewelry and he abhorred most jewelry, especially those based around jewels. Not even sparing a glance at the beautiful blood red gem he once thought of as his greatest gift from Rin, he threw it off to the side.

"Shirou..." she stopped, not even looking at him but he could guess what her eyes looked like. Crazed, a guarantee in truth, and perhaps an intense anger, most likely directed at him for his, to him at least, sensible actions. "What are you doing!"

"Like I said, I don't have a wife anymore." Shirou shrugged as he turned around, learning his guess was right as Rin's almost crazed eyes, filled with anger, locked with his own. Completely empty, not a single sign of life in them.

"You...you..." Rin let out a scream of nothing but anger as she turned away from him, blindly firing a curse at him and one he easily avoided. "YOU BASTARD!"

_Rin had developed a particularly vicious yet adaptable spell during her research. The reason for doing so still alludes me but it became a devastating weapon for her, both against her enemies and against me. __I tended to call them curses after seeing what they did to people. Rin never agreed and simply called it the new Magecraft of the Tohsaka family._

She was already on her way back to her research when the door closed in front of her, something that made her stop before turning to Shirou, his eyes still dead as he stepped back, shifting his stance to one she had taught him but he had improved on.

"Shirou, if you know what's good for you, you'll leave." Rin's words held a deadly threat in them, something Shirou could easily ignore as he activated some of his Circuits, one of the few spells he could use coming into effect as he Reinforced his body far beyond human levels. "Now!"

A curse from her fingers was added s incentive to listen but something he easily sidestepped before returning with his own, a silver dart firing forward only for it to be intercepted by another curse from Rin, a small grin coming across her face as she continued to fire at Shirou, not letting up but he responded in kind with his silver darts, the only way he could use any of the things she taught him was by applying his Sword Element and Origin to it, enough to not drastically change anything he was taught but make it usable for him.

Quickly growing tired of his use of the curse, he fired one last one before a blade was in his hands, a simple dagger that he threw towards Rin and one that was instantly destroyed but was enough for him to dive to the side, something that saved him from the hail of curses Rin fired at him, something that would only grow in number the longer he allowed the fight to drag on, something he couldn't do as they weren't exactly alone at his house, or at least wouldn't be fore long.

"Still using the same old curses then Rin?" Shirou couldn't stop his laughter as he used Reinforcement on his cover, hoping it would stay together and he could keep Rin enraged, unable to actually think up a strategy. Despite what he wished, he couldn't ever deaden his excitement during a fight especially one against Rin.

_I was a fool to think I could outmaneuver someone like her. She knew about my plan and had already developed plans for them, plans she could easily enact even when angered._

"Trace." Pulling back the hammer in his mind, a simple longsword appeared in his hand and he broke from his already broken cover to charge her, his reinforcement was to help it last around ten of her shots, not the six it managed, while batting away only three of her curses before the weapon broke.

'Damn, it was supposed to last six.' Shirou cursed as one of Rin's many curses struck his arm, setting it on fire before he ripped off the sleeve of his shirt and threw it to the side, a new sword in his hand as the other was covered in black metal like scales for only a moment, something he had been working on with Sakura for a long time. The scales quickly receded and his arm was now undamaged from Rin's curse. 'It looks like it does more damage than we thought when we were testing everything.'

_We were far from right with our estimations, very far off. The damage Rin could do with her new curses were incredible and extremely dangerous._

_In short, they were too versatile to be made by human thought alone. Something else had to be there, something beyond human and something Rin had easy access to._

Shirou was prepared for when his sword broke at only five curses from Rin, not the eight he had planned for and quickly, activating more of his Circuits, he fired three swords towards Rin, encouraging her to stop her barrage to dodge the deadly airborne blades. It would have if she was sane but a larger more vicious black orb met each blade, easily destroying them but Shirou was already gone, making a dive for one of the many guns he had hidden around the house. He hated the fact he would have to use it on Rin but he had prepared for this, four more swords firing towards Rin, these designed to take her curses and still strike. Under normal circumstances at least but the situation he found himself in was far from normal and they would shatter like all the rest, something he simply had to let happen as there was no time to modify them while constantly under fire, especially by Rin's latest curses.

He was right, a single hit from Rin's newest curse shattered each blade in an instant but at least they weren't all but vaporized like the other ones, the shards could give a decent smokescreen as he flipped over the table and an enhanced blow from his fist shattered the floorboards but the gun he had planted there was missing, something he was unprepared for.

_She had of course known about our plan, probably knew about it long before we had the courage to begin finalizing it, she always knew how I thought and always knew how to act in response. It was ridiculous to even think I could ever actually beat her. In the end, an undeniable truth in the universe, was that I would always be nothing compared to her._

_At least as a Magus._

'She knew.' It was his only thought, the only way to explain why the gun and, most likely, the others were missing as well. She knew all along and had moved and most likely destroyed every weapon he had hidden around the house before today.

When the table exploded in front of him from another of Rin's curses he was caught in the blast, thrown against the wall but he managed to get to his feet and throw himself off the wall and through the doorway in time to miss the next curse, one that seemed to have been designed for capture instead of simply killing him.

'She knew.' His carefully constructed plan was finished before it could even begin, she had known about the guns he had hidden around the house and most likely knew at least what they planned to do. 'If she knows about the plan then-Shit! I've got to get out of here and get to Sakura, I need to warn her.'

Shirou would have most likely tried to escape the house and rush to check on Sakura but Rin's next curse ripped through the wall in front of him and he quickly sunk to the floor, a direct shot from Rin's latest curse too much for him despite all of his preparations.

_I had waited to steal her notes and copy them for several weak before I and Sakura developed countermeasure for her spells using my blades. A foolish idea as I should have known better, the __Rin I knew in the past would have never left her notes out no matter what._

_I should have known those notes were fakes and she knew about our plans for far too long if she could plant fakes for me to steal._

Shirou groaned on the floor, quickly a pair of his longswords in his hands as a third appeared embedded the ground in front of him and helped to split the next curse sent at him in half, shattering as expected but at least doing its job as he struggled to his feet, activating all of his admittedly poor Circuits when compared to someone like Rin. 'I suppose I have to escape then.' Unbidden, his lips twisted up into grin at the thought of fighting, especially someone as skilled and dangerous as Rin. Sure, he outmatched her in experience but she had power on her side, so much that he would never be able to match it but that's what made this so exciting. A single mistake on his part and he was dead, Rin would automatically capitalize on any advantage and that would be the end of it, he would lose and she would win.

_Despite my common sense, I was excited at the prospect of fighting Rin, of truly testing myself against both my wife and one of the stronger Mages I knew. _

_She truly was incredible in the past._

"Trace." The hammer fired, eight swords shooting towards Rin as he himself ran forward, following behind them. The blades that were fired were completely destroyed by a single curse from Rin, detonating into a black wave that consumed the blade and something that made Shirou's grin widen as he split the next curse fired at him in half with one sword, already tossing it away as it was covered in the curse and exploded moments after leaving his hand. "Trace." Another was in hand as three more swords fired forward, another black sphere detonating as he dropped to the ground to avoid the black wave it's detonation caused as it annihilated his three swords.

'This was where I planted the first, an SMG.' The Enforcer was quickly back up and running once the wave passed over him, ignoring his thoughts as already another two swords fired towards Rin, coming from above his head and hopefully distracting her.

It seemed to work, two of Rin's curses fired at them and quickly enveloping them in black before they suddenly shot towards him but with a thought they exploded not too far from Rin, hopefully catching her in the blast but he wasn't very hopeful. Rin would have already been ready for such a thing and he was right, a large black sphere would have taken off his head but his two blades blocked it for the moment he needed to escape.

'Second, a semi-auto pistol.' Shirou threw himself back, two more swords appearing in his hand as the hammer rapidly drew back and fired, a dozen or so blades of all shapes and sizes shooting towards the black cloud in front of him, a residue of Rin's heavy use of her new curses. 'They won't get by.' His assumption was correct, none of the blades managed to pierce it, shattering instantly against it before two more swords, greatswords, flew over Shirou's shoulders and detonated on impact. 'Those two managed to blast a hole through.'

He was right, following up with six or so more of the same exploding swords, he blasted a path through the black cloud, one that was already sealing but he didn't need to get through it. A barrage of swords did.

'Third and fourth, two more SMGs.' Shirou resisted the urge to dismiss his two swords and look for the two guns, knowing they were gone thanks to Rin and as the hammer fired, close to thirty blades fired over his shoulder, the cloud sealing around halfway and he cursed when he was forced to quickly backpedal, avoiding a large number of small black orbs.

He was quickly back on his feet, another pair of swords in his hands and he threw them forward without a second thought, avoiding the worst of the blast the next black sphere caused once it hit one of the blades, consuming both entirely before

"GAH!" He couldn't avoid them all, luckily only three of the twenty-six she fired at him striking him, and the three rapid spikes of pain going across his body was enough to force him to the ground, a black aura engulfing him for a moment before a heavy feeling stuck him, particularly in his skull as he felt as if he was developing a migraine and the feeling made him weakly curse as he found it a sudden strain to move his arms, the black aura around them forcing them down to the ground with a sudden weight.

_"Where?"_

"I'm disappointed Rin, is this really the best you've got?" Shirou tried to unsteadily rise to his feet, unable to do so as with a flash, he suddenly felt weak as the black aura around him grew darker, already it was becoming difficult to see and he felt as if he was deaf, no sound reaching him, not even his own breathing, something already becoming harsher as he struggled to draw in air, something becoming more and more of a struggle as he could vaguely feel a hand on his shoulder.

_"I'll ask again, where did you hide it Shirou?"_ It was strange to Shirou how he could both love and hate the source of the voice currently resounding in his skull. It was strange he could feel both comfort at the sound of the voice and a sheer terror he could not accurately put into words.

'Huh, seems like I've lost.' Shirou vaguely acknowledged such a fact, everything but his thoughts were becoming numb. At least until Rin decided to use harsher means of getting what she wanted.

_"Shirou, don't make me have to hurt you anymore than I already have. I never wanted to hurt you like this, you just gave me no choice when you took it." _Shirou was amazed that he could actually find himself believing Rin's words if he hadn't been drilled in how she would act by Sakura. If he hadn't spent so much time on this, he would have believed the thing ready to torture him was the same woman he fell in love with, the same woman he would give his life for without a second thought.

_"Shirou...please, just tell me where you hid it._" A tone filled with both tearful pleas to work with her and the threat of immense pain if he was to continue to disobey her, one of the strangest things so far in this encounter. _"I-I-I don't want to do this b-b-but I will."_

"Do it." Shirou found it strange he could still speak, strange but impressed as he ignored the weakness spreading across his body, he ignored his dead sight, his deafened ears, he ignored it all simply to speak. "Show me that you're no longer the Rin Tohsaka I fell in love with or the one I married."

_"S-Shirou, please just give it to me."_ Now the voice was less threatening and more pleading with him, something that fell on literally deaf ears. _"I need it more than you, I need to finish what I started."_

"No." Damnation was always so simple, so easy to do. All it ever took for him was one word, a refusal to follow orders.

_"Then suffer."_ The act was up, the voice was cold, lifeless. Nothing was there but emptiness, a hollowness he could both understand and despise at the same time.

Pain erupted across his body, his skin feeling as if it was set alight, frozen, shattered, pierced and so much more as his mind was nothing as agony consumed him. His breath was gone, forcibly ripped from his lungs, his senses suddenly returning, his ears ringing and his eyes blinded by the light around him. For that moment, his entire existence was agony, a rare type of agony, one so intense he knew for certain no experience in his life would ever match such a thing again. It was the pinnacle of pain, the purest form of suffering on this planet.

The pain his body was in paled in comparison to his damaged heart, as if ti was ripped apart as he lost the woman he loved.

It was over in moments that seemed to stretch for years, time incomprehensible in the agony he had suffered through.

The black aura around him had faded but it was impossible to notice for Shirou, he had collapsed to the floor at some point during his torment and it seemed he wouldn't be leaving the floor any time soon, his body almost deathly still, his eyes unblinking as they stared straight ahead. It seemed nothing was possible for him now, he could do nothing, say nothing. His mind itself seemed empty, no longer was there a focus on the plan he had developed for this moment, no thoughts on an escape plan. Nothing, his mind was blank.

"Shirou..." Tears ran down Rin's face as she looked down at the collapsed Magus, gently kneeling down next to him. "Why couldn't you just listen to me?" Rin not very gently pulled Shirou to her, laying his head in her lap. "I needed it so much more than you."

_Avalon. The reason for everything that went bad in my life. It was such a great thing once, a reminder about Saber, about how much she had taught me, the sacrifice she had made when she destroyed the Grail. It was, for a long time, what made me a Blade. Someone to help others without thinking about himself. Every time I felt the familiar power of Avalon in me, it reminded me that I was someone who should give his life for others, to ensure that others didn't suffer. Soon Rin changed that, she made me remember all of Saber, of her sacrifices when she reigned as King of Knights, her ideals. She showed me what was wrong with them, why I should learn from them and craft my own. She made me view myself as something with it and because of that I remembered Rin every time I felt the power of Avalon in me. _

_For such a thing so great to ruin my life was interesting to say the least._

* * *

Shirou groaned as he slowly sat up, struggling to do so as he finally found his cane, quickly grabbed it and he very quickly rose to his feet, glad to have it back. Unable to do much as he regained his strength, Shirou simply observed the thing that had ruined his life.

"Avalon...how great it is to yet again see it."

'And even greater, I'll be able to use it to return back to my prime and remove these curses Rin placed on me.' Just the thought of his strength returning to him, his pathetically weak body once again back to its true strength a great thing for him, enough for him to smile for the first time in a while. 'At last I'll be able to kill her.'

* * *

AN: So how was it? Good? Bad?

Peace.


End file.
